Lay drive means for looms



Sept. 11, 1962 C. R. KRONOF F LAY DRIVE MEANS FOR LOOMS Filed May 18, 1961 Il l I I INVENTOR CLARENCE R. KRO OFF 7 ATTORNE United States Patent 3,053,285 LAY DRIVE MEANS FOR LOOMS Clarence R. Kronoif, Worcester, Mass, asslgnor to Crompton & Knowles Corporation, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed May 18, 1961, Ser. No. 110,945 6 Claims. (Cl. 139-188) This invention relates to driving means for lays for looms, and it is the general object of the invention to provide improved lay driving mechanisms so located in relationship with the lay as to substantially eliminate vibratory shock to the lay and its associated parts during loom operation.

[A conventional type of loom that has gone into extensive use employs an oscillating lay supported by pivoted layswords at a point remote from the lay each end of which is provided with a layend system extending beyond the layswords and carrying at least one shuttle box and in many instances carrying a plurality of shuttle boxes which shift periodically during the weaving process so that the layends vary in weight due to the presence or absence of a shuttle in one or another of the shuttle boxes. The lay and its associated parts described above are usually driven by common means such as crank or cam, but these means are not judiciously located with respect to the lay to take into consideration the fact that the center of gravity and radius of gyration shifts slightly during loom operation, as does the center of percussion, due to the variable weight layends and shifting of shuttle boxes, and that the extended layends and parts thereon tend to whip or overtravel in a horizontal path beyond the points where reversal of oscillation of the lay occurs and that the lay and its associated parts, due to rotational inertia about the laysword pivot, tend to rotate the lay beyond said points, all with the resultant disadvantages of causing vibratory shock to the lay and layend systems with attendant erratic flight and boxing of the shuttles as well as deterring an increase in loom speeds.

It is therefore an important object of the invention to provide improved drive means to overcome the disadvantages discussed above by judiciously locating the drive means with respect to the lay and its center of gravity so as to be in optimum driving relationship therewith to substantially counteract and prevent lay and layend overtravel as well as rotation thereof beyond the points of reversal of oscillation of the lay.

It is another important object of the invention to provide a solid positive connection from the lay drive shaft to each layend not only to impart positive oscillation to the lay but also to solidly and positively and simultaneously oppose said overtravel and rotation to thus minimize vibratory shock and erratic flight and boxing of the shuttles,

Another object of the invention is to provide cam means and operative connections between the drive shaft and each layend systems and so located as to be behind the lay and substantially opposite thereof at a vertical distance from the laysword pivot as is the lay, such that the cam means and operative connections therefor are in a plane passing through a zone in which the center of gravity of the lay shifts slightly during loom operation and are also opposite the arcs through which the radius of gyration and center of percussion respectively travel as the lay oscillates.

Another object of the invention is to provide a set of two interconnected cams on the drive shaft for each layend, a single cam follower lever with a pair of rolls thereon for each set, and a connector between each cam lever and each layend to oscillate the lay in a positive manner, one of said rolls acting against one of said cams $353,285 Patented Sept. 11, 1962 and the other roll acting against the other cam to individually resist and prevent the lay overtravel and excessive rotation thereof respectively when the lay is oscillating in one direction and when oscillating opposite to said one direction.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood reference is made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example the embodiments of the invention and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a loom having the invention applied thereto, certain of the loom parts being broken away and in section for the sake of clarity,

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the loom looking in the direction of arrow 2, FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a vertical section on lines 3-3, FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary end elevation looking in the direction of arrow 4, FIG. 3, and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view looking in the direction of arrow 5, FIG. 1.

Referring first to FIG. 2, right and left-hand loomsides 1 and 2 are bridged at the forward end thereof by a breastbeam 3, a rear girt 4, and a rear and forward low girt 5 and 6, see FIGS. 1 and 3, to lend rigidity to the loom frame structure. The loomsides at their lower end pivotally support a rock shaft 7 upon which right and left-hand layswords 8 and 9 are pivotally mounted to support and oscillate a lay 10 forwardly and backwardly during loom operation.

Lay 11B is located on the layswords remote from the pivot or rock shaft '7 as can readily be seen in FIG. 3, and is attached to the layswords in any approved manner. The right and left ends of lay 10 carry layends respectively designated generally at 11 and 12, each layend having thereon a shuttle box or shuttle boxes, as the case may be, to house a shuttle or shuttles, one of which is shown at 13, FIG. 3, in preparation for shuttle flight across the lay from box to box during the weaving process. Layend 11 is provided with a shuttle box generally designated at 14 while layend 12 is provided with a plurality of shuttle boxes 15, 16, 17 and 18. Lay 10 is provided with the usual reed 19 to guide the shuttles during flights thereof.

As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, layend 11 extends beyond the laysword 8 in a direction lengthwise of the lay, and in addition to the shuttle box 14 carries the usual associated parts such as a shuttle binder 19' for shuttle box 14, a bobbin chute 21 and a picker buffer 22. Layend 12 extends beyond laysword 9 similarly as layend 11 and supports the usual associated parts such as shuttle box guides 23 and 24, picker buffer 25 as well as the shuttle boxes 15-18 and their respective shuttle binders or checks. It is to be understood that shuttle box 14 may be replaced by a plurality of shuttle boxes and that shuttle boxes 15-18 may be replaced by a single shuttle box, all as is common to the trade. During loom operation shuttle boxes 1518 are raised and lowered by the usual flexible connector 26 operatively connected to the pattern mechanism not shown but well understood. When multiple shuttle boxes are utilized in place of shuttle box 14, flexible connector 27 will effect raising and lowering of the boxes by the said pattern mechanism. In the present instance, flexible connector 27 is disconnected from the pattern mechanism since a single shuttle box requires no shifting.

The matter thus far described is of common construction operating in the usual manner and forms no part of the present invention except as set forth hereinafter. It is deemed sufficient to state here that during loom operation the lay will oscillate from an extreme back position (full lines, FIG. 3) to an extreme forward position (dotted lines, FIG. 3) and back again to complete one cycle of lay movement during which shuttle boxes 3 15-18 may or may not shift to align a shuttle with the raceplate 28 for picking of a selected shuttle back and forth across the loom.

In carrying the present invention into effect, a lay cross drive shaft 29, FIGS. 1 and 3, is suitably journaled in bearings 34), 31 and 32 fixed to cross girt 4 and also by an outboard bearing 33 fixed to loomside 2, and is rotated once for each cycle of lay movement by drive gear 34 afiixed to the right-hand end of shaft 29. Shaft 29 is located rearwardly and opposite of lay and at an approximate vertical distance from pivot 7 as is lay 10. A pair of sets of cams generally designated by the character references 35 and 36 are supportingly held to shaft 29 by keys, one of which is shown as at 37, FIG. 3. The cams are of the conjugate type and each set of cams, there being one set for each layend, is interconnected by a hub 38 as seen in FIG. 3, it being understood that the pair of cams 35 are likewise interconnected.

Loomsides l and 2 respectively support pivot stands 40 and 41 which are quite similar to each other and it is thought here to be sufiicient to describe only one of the stands, namely, stand 40. As can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, stand 46 is provided with a pair of bearings 42 and 43 which carries a pivot stud 44 on which a cam follower lever 45 is mounted for oscillation by cams 36 as is lever 46 by cams 35. Each of the levers mounts a pair of rolls for engagement with their corresponding cams of each set thereof. Lever 45 is provided with rolls 47 and 48 operatively connected respectively to cams 50 and 51 of set 36 while lever 46 is provided with rolls 52 and 53 for operative connection respectively to cams 54 and 55 of set 35, see FIG. 1. At its lower end thereof, lever 45 is connected to one end of a connecting rod generally shown at 56 while the other end thereof is operatively connected to laysword 11 as is generally indicated at 57. Lever 46 is connected to layend 12 by a connecting rod generally indicated at 58. As can be seen in FIG. 5, rod 58 is pivoted as at 59 to a bracket 60 held to layend 12 by bolts 62, 63 and 64. Each set of cams, its lever and rod may be considered as a solid positive connection SC from shaft 29 to their respective layends.

From an inspection of FIG. 1, it will be seen that each set of cams 35 and 36 and its corresponding lever and connecting rod are located along shaft 29 lengthwise with respect to lay 10 so as to be respectively at a distance A and B from a line C which represents a plane in which the center of gravity of the lay, layends and associated parts is located. That portion of lay 10 extending to the right from line C and coupled with layend 11 may be termed a layend system as having, with respect to the center of gravity on the lay in line C, a center of gravity on the layend 11 in a plane represented by line D, and that portion of the lay extending to the left of line C plus layend 12 may also be considered a layend system as having a center of gravity on the layend 12 in a plane represented by line B. Both planes D and E are located respectively in zones represented by double ended arrows F and G, each zone representing the area in which the center of gravity of its layend system may shift slightly lengthwise of the lay due to the absence or presence of shuttles in the boxes which causes the layends to vary in weight, or because of the raising and lowering of shuttle boxes and shuttles therein during the weaving process. Each solid connection SC is located within its Zone and is either in alignment with the center of gravity of its layend andthe plane in which the latter lies or is very close to the center of gravity of its layend depending on whether a shuttle is present or absent in a shuttle box or whether the shiftable boxes are in up or down position with or without shuttles therein.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 3, it will be noted that each solid connection SC is located rearward and opposite the lay and its radius of gyration which moves along arc K and its center of percussion which moves along are L with respect to pivot 7 during loom operation. The solid connections SC are substantially the same vertical distance from pivot 7 as is the lay and the radius of gyration and the center of percussion even though they may shift slightly because of the absence or presence of shuttles in shuttle boxes or the shifting thereof. 7

During continued loom operation, the lay will be positively oscillated by the solid connections SC from hte full line position to the dotted line position, FIG. 3 after which reversal takes place by reason of the cams and the lay will move back to the full line position to be reversed again and so on. Because the solid connections are positioned as described above with respect to the lay and its associated parts an optimum driving relationship is attained therebetween to rigidly oppose any overtravel of the layends and excessive rotation of the lay, due to rotational energy thereof beyond the points where reversal of oscillation of the lay occurs. Thus, by locating the solid connections judiciously along shaft 29 lengthwise with respect to the center of gravity of the lay and its associated parts and vertically with respect to the lay and its radius of gyration and center of percussion, the resultant of effective forces tending to cause vibratory shock of the lay luring loom operation is greatly reduced to substantially eliminate, if not entirely, the vibratory shock particularly experienced by the conventional lay during reversal of oscillation thereof. Elimination of vibratory shock by the present invention insures stability of shuttle flight and shuttle boxing with the result that loom speed may be increased by the expedience of judicial location of the described present driving means with respect to the lay and associated parts.

It is to be understood that location of the solid connections with respect to the lay and layends may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, if it is desired to operate a 1 x 1 shuttle box loom (shuttle boxes 15-18 to be replaced by a single shuttle box), the left-hand solid connection SC shown in full lines in FIG. 1 may be moved to the dotted line position, and if it is desired to utilize multiple shuttle boxes in place of box 14, the right-hand solid connection SC may be moved along shaft 29 to the right of loomside 1 in a position with respect to layend 11 as is left-hand solid connection with respect to its corresponding layend 12. It is contemplated herein that the solid connections may be moved along shaft 29 to accommodate variances in the number of shuttle boxes utilized on each layend so as at be located in optimum relationship with the center of gravity of the lay and associated parts.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention sets forth simple lay driving means to impart solid positive oscillation to the lay, and is so located in relationship thereto as to virtually eliminate vibratory shock to the lay during loom operation to eliminate an erratic flight and boxing of the shuttles. Further, it will be seen that each set of cams and its corresponding lever and rod are so positioned rearwardly and lengthwise of the lay and above its pivot to oppose and resist overtravel of the layends and excessive rotation of the lay, and that by judiciously locating the present drive means with respect to the center of gravity of the lay a much smoother oscillation of the lay is attained thereby permitting higher loom speeds than is practical with existing lay drives.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, what is claimed is:

1. In a loom operating with an oscillating lay and layend systems including a pair of lay supporting pivoted layswords and variable weight layends due to the absence or presence of shuttles in shuttle boxes on the layends, a

pair of sets of cams to cause oscillation of the lay, one set for each layend, a supporting cross drive shaft for said sets of cams located rearwardly and substantially opposite said lay, a single cam follower lever for each set of earns and pivoted to a stationary part of the loom, and a connecting rod between each cam lever and each layend, each set of cams and its corresponding lever and rod being located lengthwise with respect to its corresponding layend system so as to be connected thereto in a plane passing through a zone in which the center of gravity of each layend system shifts slightly during loom operation because of said variable weight layends.

2. In a loom operating with an oscillating lay having lay supporting pivoted layswords at each end of the lay and also having a variable weight layend thereon extending beyond each laysword and tending to overtravel incident to reversal of direction of oscillation of said lay during loom operation, a drive shaft for said lay located rear- Wardly thereof and substantially the same vertical distance from the laysword pivot as is the lay, a set of cams for each layend and on said drive shaft, a single cam follower lever for each set having a pair of rolls, one for each cam, and rockable on a fixed pivot above said rolls and said set of cams, and an operative connection between each cam lever and each layend to impart positive oscillation to said lay, each set of cams and its lever and operative connection being so positioned along the length of said shaft and said layend with respect to the center of gravity thereof so as to be in optimum driving relationship therewith to substantially counteract and prevent said overtravel during lay oscillation.

3. @In a loom operating with an oscillating lay having lay supporting pivoted layswords at each end of the lay and also having a layend thereon extending beyond each laysword and tending to overtravel incident to reversal of direction of oscillation of said lay during loom operation, a rotatable cross drive shaft behind and substantially opposite said lay, cam means for each layend and on said drive shaft and rotatable therewith, a pivoted single lever means operatively connected in positive manner to each cam, solid connecting rod means between each lever and each layend, all of said means forming a solid positive connection between said shaft and their respective corresponding layends not only to positively oscillate said lay during loom operation and to also rigidly oppose said overtravel but also to substantially eliminate vibratory shock to the lay and associated parts during loom operation.

4. In a loom operating with an oscillating lay having lay supporting layswords pivoted at a distance remote from said lay and also having a layend thereon extending beyond each laysword and tending, due to rotational inertia, to rotate beyond the points where reversal of direction of oscillation occurs during loom operation, a cross 'drive shaft behind the lay and substantially remote vertically from the laysword pivot as is the lay, a pair of interconnected cams for and opposite each layend and on said shaft, a pivoted single lever for each of said pair of interconnected cams operatively connected thereto in positive manner, and a rod in positive connection between each lever and each layend, each pair of interconnected cams and its corresponding lever and rod l cated with respect to the lay and the laysword pivot so as to act in unison to positively oscillate the lay about the laysword pivot and to positively resist and prevent rotation of the lay beyond said points where said reversal of direction of oscillation occurs.

5. The loom set forth in claim 4 wherein each lever is provided with a pair of rolls opposite said lay, one roll acting against one of said cams to positively resist and prevent rotation of the lay beyond one of said points when the lay is rotating in one direction and the other roll acting to positively resist and prevent rotation of the lay beyond a point opposite said one of said points when the lay is rotating opposite said one direction.

6. in a loom operating with an oscillating lay supported by pivoted layswords and having a layend with at least one shuttle box thereon extending beyond each laysword tending to overtravel along a horizontal path incident to reversal of direction of oscillation of said lay during loom operation, the lay and layends and shuttle boxes also tending to rotate about the pivot of the laysword beyond the points where reversal of direction of oscillation occurs because of rotational inertia, a drive shaft for the lay located rearwardly and opposite thereof and substantially above the laysword pivot as is the lay, a set of cam means for each layend on said shaft in a position opposite its corresponding layend, a single lever means operatively connected to each set of cams for oscillation thereby, and rod means between each lever and its corresponding layend to positively connect the latter and the lay to said lever, each of said means respectively forming a solid positive connection between said shaft and their corresponding layends and being so located with respect to the center of gravity of the lay and layends in a lengthwise direction thereof and so located with respect to the radius of gyration and the center of percussion thereof with reference to the laysword pivot as to not only positively oscillate said lay and associated parts thereof but also to solidly and positively and simultaneously oppose said overtravel and rotation beyond said points where reversal of direction of oscillation occurs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,747,722 Lucas Feb. 18, 1930 2,054,150 Watson et a1 Sept. 15, 1936 2,162,312 Kronoif June 13, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS 18,165 "Great Britain of 1888 

